After extradition hearing, Vijay Mallya complains of 'intense hate campaign' by Indian media

After the first round of the extradition battle at the UK court, embattled business man Vijay Mallya has taken to twitter to complain about the Indian media. In the tweet, he termed that Indian media is indulging in intense hate campaign, which knows no bounds.

Intense hate campaign by Indian media against me knows no bounds. The GOI has filed a case which is before a U.K. court. Wait for verdict.

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 14, 2017

The UK’s Westminster Magistrates Court had on Tuesday extended the bail for Mallya, who was arrested in April and out on bail. [caption id=“attachment_3618245” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Vijay Mallya. Reuters file photo[/caption] The Indian investigating agencies are on trying to get Mallya extradited from the UK, where he escaped to in March 2016. The flamboyant business man has to repay Rs 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks. These loans have become NPAs and some of the banks have declared Mallya a wilful defaulter. The CBI is also investigating a Rs 900 crore loan default case involving IDBI Bank, where Mallya is alleged to have siphoned off money. The CBI seeking extradition in this case. This is not the first time Mallya is complaining about Indian media. On Tuesday, he had told the reporters waiting outside the UK court: “I don’t make statements to the media because anything I say is twisted.” He denied any wrong doing and said there was enough evidence to prove his case. “You can keep dreaming about a billion pounds; you cannot prove anything without facts,” Mallya told reporters. In February, Mallya had complained that media is only focussed on “blasting” him.

Very unfortunate that Indian media do not share pride that an Indian entry into Formula 1 is so successful. Only focussed on blasting me.

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) February 23, 2017

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Defending his position, Mallya told business news channel BTVi in an interview: “It all started with the failure of Kingfisher Airlines, a public company. The government-owned banks are trying to hold me personally responsible for the failure of India’s largest airline and to repay their debts. I have a counter-claim on them as well.” According to Mallya, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had converted a civil case into a criminal one and then charges of defrauding banks and money laundering had been added. “I will and I am severely contesting all these legally. I firmly believe they have absolutely no case against me whatsoever,” Mallya said. “But India is India, and I have become a political football between the two major Indian political parties which is very evident by the rhetoric in the election speeches… I will follow the due process of law.” The next hearing of the extradition case is on 6 July and Mallya has been exempted from personal appearance before the court. Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot granted this after Mallya’s barrister Ben Watson sought erection of barriers “outside the courthouse to prevent the media from pouncing on his client and making it difficult for him to enter the building”, according to a report in the Business Standard. (With inputs from agencies)